


Conversations with Old Friends

by Talyesin



Series: Aftermath on Finite Earths [19]
Category: DCU (Comics)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-17 06:42:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15455577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talyesin/pseuds/Talyesin





	Conversations with Old Friends

Earth-One  
Geosynchronous orbit above the United States of America

High above the Earth hung a gleaming citadel of metal and glass, suspended in zero gravity, turning slightly, a crystalline chandelier against the backdrop of jewels on velvet that was the depths of space. Within that citadel, one lone occupant stood silent vigil.

Before him stood the myriad computer screens that made up the Justice League’s Monitor Room, dozens of images playing across their electronic faces in countless languages. News reports from a hundred sources flickered by with a rapidity that would leave another person dizzy. But the watcher was not another person. The Last Kryptonian watched all, saw all, understood all, as the images displayed countless atrocities, crimes, disasters, injustices, in the blink of an eye. Anyone examining those eyes would see only a disquieting, inhuman, crystal blue blur as they flicked from screen to screen at super-speed. Super-hearing picked out individual voices from the babbling cacophony of every news channel on Earth being fed directly through the League’s incredible computer banks. Blessed with a super-intelligence that most people – especially his foes – discounted and forgot, full comprehension of hundreds of languages allowed perfect understanding to flow through those newsfeeds.

Superman raised his hand and answered a chime that was all but lost in the sea of sound, muting all channels to ultrasonic levels only his super-hearing could hear. It made no difference to him, but his caller would not have to hear the other newsfeeds.

“Hello Clark,” the stunning redhead on the screen said, smiling at Metropolis’ Champion.

“Hello Lana,” Superman replied, smiling back. “What can the Justice League do for WGBS’ award-winning talk show host?”

Lana smiled the girl-next-door smile that had made her adored by the American viewing public. WGBS’ marketing team touted the ‘fact’ that when Lana smiled, 82% of viewers smiled, too; when Lana cried at the plight of one of her guests, 91% of viewers cried.

“Well, as much as we’d always be open to having any Leaguer on the show, I’m abusing my powers as executive producer and media icon to talk to you, Clark. We haven’t had a chance to talk in ages.”

Superman grinned at his oldest friend and one-time love. “You’re the only person who calls me that any more, you know.”

“Well, announcing your secret identity and actual, Kryptonian name on network television is one way to get people to think of you differently, but to me you’ll always be Clark Kent, the shy boy in glasses who thought I didn’t know he had a crush on me.”

“You wouldn’t have gone out with me then,” Superman teased, “because you had the world’s biggest crush on Superboy, as I recall.”

Lana blushed with childhood embarrassment, giggling. “Superboy was so dreamy, Clark. You don’t know the effect you had on the girls of Smallville.”

It was Superman’s turn to be embarrassed at childhood memories. “I suppose.”

“How are you, Clark? I mean, how are you doing?”

“I’m fine, why?”

“You’re so busy being Superman you don’t remember the date?”

Quietly, he replied, “I remember the date, Lana.”

“I only thought… it’s been two years.”

“I know.”

A frown creased Lana’s Midwestern features and – just short of angrily – she said, “Clark, what happened to Lois was not your fault.”

Superman smiled sadly. “I know, Lana.”

“There was no way on Earth anyone could have known what would happen from a human-Kryptonian pregnancy.”

“Of course not.”

“Clark, talk to me! You’re my oldest friend! I hate seeing you in pain.”

“Lana, what do you want me to say? That I miss her? I do. Missing her doesn’t change the fact that she’s gone. That I wanted our child to be born and live and grow? Of course I did. But the child lies in the same grave as Lois. There is no mating between humans and Kryptonians… and I’m the Last Kryptonian.”

“Because of what happened to Kandor – something that also wasn’t your fault, Clark.”

“No, that fault lies squarely at the feet of Brainiac. I’m the one who finally figured out how to return the city to its normal size. I’m the one who placed them on an asteroid orbiting Rao, under a red sun where they would live out the normal lives of normal Kryptonians. But Brainiac’s the one who destroyed the city and all its inhabitants once and for all. And that’s why there will be no more Kryptonians when I’m gone. We’re an extinct race.”

“Clark-“

“Lana, I’m sorry. I have to let you go. I’m receiving a League priority communication.”

“Clark, dinner, soon?”

“Soon,” he promised vaguely. A familiar look of resignation began to spread across Lana’s face, and Superman switched off her signal before it could make him feel guiltier than he already did. Superman shouldn’t lie, he thought. Not to one of his oldest friends. Not to anyone.

“Go ahead, Batman,” the Last Kryptonian said. From the angle he was viewing his old friend, Superman knew Batman was in the Batmobile. Something serious, then – not that Batman was ever anything less than serious. Then the lone occupant of the Justice League Satellite Headquarters remembered an earlier newsfeed from Gotham – the Joker had escaped. All this realization and recollection took place in less than a millisecond, faster than a speeding laser.

“It’s your goddaughter,” was the Caped Crusader’s only, terse, words.

“On my way,” Superman said, activating his League signal device to call his replacement into action. Firestorm would arrive at the Satellite in minutes – Ronnie was always looking for an excuse to ditch his university classes. Being a professor hadn’t lived up to the promises he’d convinced himself he’d heard. It was actual work, even if he and Ray Palmer were working together.

Stopping only to set the Monitor Room to automatic threat assessment, Superman flew out the airlock and headed for Gotham. Taking the teleporter might have been faster, but this way he could spend the six seconds it took him to reach the city observing it with his telescopic and X-ray visions, searching for Helena.


End file.
